Trapped and Tricked
by ameliapl1
Summary: When Ralph refuses to help stop Trickster and Prank, Cisco and Caitlin get help from Central City's sometimes hero, Hartley Rathaway. Things go downhill. (Post 4x11)r


"There are the hostages," Hartley mutters.

"Let's go help them," Cisco says, walking to the stage.

" _Or_ we could just leave them and kill Trickster and Prank," Caitlin honestly sounds bored. Hartley rolls his eyes.

"Remember the talk about murdering your way out of problems? We don't do that!"

Caitlin opens her mouth and Hartley interrupts.

" _Guys._ Honestly, it's like you want the supervilllains to know we're here,"

Both nod and they make their way over to the hostages.

"We're going to get you out of here, it's okay," Cisco says. Caitlin seems to be struggling, so Cisco helps her, so Hartley turns his attentions to the male hostage, easily untying him.

Before he can rip the bag off the hostages face, a noise comes from behind him. Some kind of stuffed toy is babbling, flying in from nowhere.

"What the actual fuck?" Hartley murmurs as Caitlin freezes them. He turns back around and he and Cisco whip the bags off the hostages heads.

Except, hostages? No, not so much. Hartley groans as Trickster and Prank cackle, slamming anti-meta cuffs on the three.

Hartley looks down. He still has his gauntlets on. He prepares to blast Trickster across the room when…

"Um, excuse me. Rude,"

"What?" Hartley asks.

"Hand the tech over," Trickster orders.

"My gauntlets?" Hartley asks, playing innocent.

"Duh." Trickster rolls his eyes.

"Look, you cuffed me. I can't take them off. You're gonna have to take them off for me,"

"Oh," Trickster says, a slow smile creeping onto his face. "I'd be happy to take more than just the gauntlets off,"

Hartley chokes on his next sarcastic remark.

He doesn't say much else, just choosing to watch Trickster take his beloved gauntlets and put them on the other side of the room. It isn't that Trickster isn't attractive, he's just tall enough that Hartley has to tilt his head to look up at him, his body the perfect mix of wily and muscled. Definitely the kind of guy he'd used to hit on, before Wells- Eobard- and before he'd redeemed himself. The outfit, though, no version of Hartley could have stood it.

Trickster turns around and pulls out a water pistol, the one he used to try and kill Ralph. Oh shit. Hartley closes his eyes as he hears the trigger pull. Caitlin screams. Cisco cries out. Water hits Hartley's face, the intense rush causing him to splutter and choke. He opens his eyes, wiping water from his glasses. Axel is smirking, sly.

"Tricked you," he croons softly before grabbing Hartley's arm roughly and hauls him down on a third chair before roughly tying it to him with metal-fibre rope. When he's done, Axel pauses to watch him, hands still on either side of Hartley's torso. He can hear Axel's heartbeat from here, not so surprisingly fast and exhilarated.

Axel grins as Hartley catches his breath and then turns around. He's not necessarily attracted to Trickster the Junior, but he's heavily flirting with Hartley in a way Hartley hasn't been hit on since Wells. And it feels nice ish. If he wasn't held hostage.

He pulls out his selfie stick- Hartley is personally appalled- and sets it up so the focus is on his face.

"Hello, again, Central City! Now, it appears some were so eager to get on our show that we have not two but three superheroes, ready to play! That's right, folks, the heroes saving your streets are participating in this match of courage! Of bravery! Of defiance!"

Hartley rolls his eyes. It has to be the fifth time since he sat down.

"So let's meet them. Our first contestant, Pied Piper. Or, what do they call you out of those clothes?"

Hartley says nothing.

"Now, Piper, don't make me pull the electric taser on you. I'm playing fair,"

"Oh, very fair," Hartley agrees snidely. "Hartley. Rathaway,"

"Rich name. Are you excited to be here tonight, Hartley?"

"Oh," Hartley deadpans. "I'm practically tickled pink,"

Axel laughs. "See, a superhero with humour. Exactly what Central city needs!"

"Hart," Cisco hisses. "Perhaps stop trying to piss off these two."

Point taken.

Axel introduces Cisco and Caitlin then and continues.

"Now, which fun prize awaits our new friends?" Prank asks as Trickster spins the wheel, both laughing with sheer joy at the thought of killing the trio.

"Hurry, Boo-Boo, I haven't killed anyone in years!"

Despite the ridiculousness of the pet name, Hartley's heart can't help but hurt. It's so blatant, so clear, that Trickster and Prank truly love each other, as a parent and child should. The way Hartley was never loved by his parents. He can't imagine them going to the trouble of breaking him out of prison and going on a crime spree with him, simply because he felt he had to.

"And it's a tie!" Axel announces, causing Hartley's head to snap up. "Sorry, Pipes, you're gonna have to sit this one out. Those two can die together,"

"But, Boo-Boo!" Prank pouts. "Surely we can fit two under our acid shower,"

Oh, no.

"You're right!" Axel says excitedly. "Thanks, mom,"

"Oh, fuck,"

"Hart," Cisco mutters. "Listen, I'm sorry we got you into this."

"All good. Not the first time a psychotic criminal has tried to kill me,"

"Wells?"

"Wells,"

Trickster walks over and pulls Cisco's Vibe goggles off his face.

"So who's dying in what way?" Hartley asks, trying to buy some time.

"I like your enthusiasm," Axel winks. "I'm guessing-"

He is cut off by the ceiling cracking open and Dinby leaping through the ceiling, landing most heroically in front of the five.

Despite this, Hartley can't help but smirk slightly. It's ridiculous. The whole shtick.

There is a slight silence as Ralph tries to gain recomposure. When he's done, Prank grins.

"Nice outfit,"

"Thanks," Ralph smiles. "I have two really good tailors,"

Hartley can't help but roll his eyes again, while Cisco presses his lips together.

"Now, let everyone go, _pranksters,_ and nobody gets hurt,"

"We thought you'd chicken out, Stretchy Man," Axel says, slowly moving in between Hartley and Cisco.

"Well, actually, I nearly did. See, I thought I was pretty much invincible until you and your oversized water pistol put the fear of God into me,"

"You're welcome," Axel says. He lightly shoves into Hartley's chair, moving him further away from Cisco and Caitlin, pressing a hand lightly against Hartley's shoulder, warning. Ralph is so captivated by his own speech he doesn't notice.

Ralph continues, talking about how "real heroes" rise above fear and whatnot.

"So," he concludes. Hartley whips his head round. He's further away from Ralph, Cisco and Caitlin than he had thought.

"Let my friends go,"

Axel and Prank- who is now next to the "Axid meter"- applaud.

"First of all, great speech. So inspired, it melted my heart," Prank says, wiping a tear away.

"Thanks, I rehearsed it on the way over here,"

"Now, let's see if we can melt yours. You see, I thought the Ax-id would have hurt more than that, and nothing else I do seems to hurt you physically," Axel grins.

"So let's see if we can do it emotionally,"

In perfect unison, Prank pulls down the lever- not far enough for it to hastily spill over Cisco and Caitlin, but it would still hit them, slowly melting them- and Trickster pulls an axe out, pressing it to Hartley's throat. His other hand reaches round to grab Hartley's chin, yanking his head back. Hartley grunts unattractively, blinking watery eyes up at Axel who smirks, fingers lightly pressing on the underbelly of Hartley's cheek.

"You can only choose one. Any flexing attempts to get them all will make them all die," Axel explains. Ralph looks between Hartley and Cisco and Caitlin, clearly unsure of what to do.


End file.
